Electrical alarm device for an alarm clock

ABSTRACT

An alarm clock and alarm device electrically energized. The alarm is turned on by a driven hour gear that has a coupling projection that engages an alarm device gear that has a coupling recess for receiving the projection when the projection is in registry therewith at the time the alarm is to ring or buzz. The coupling takes place under control of a coupling element constructed as a resilient biasing element constantly biasing the driven gear toward the alarm gear and effecting the coupling when the registry obtains. This coupling element actuates a one-way clutch that is clutched and declutched as the gear coupling and uncoupling takes effect. The clutch couples a gear to a driven shaft, on which all the gears are mounted coaxially, for driving a gear sector that transports movable contacts programmed for opening and closing an electrical circuit during sequential spaced intervals of time so that an alarm in the circuit is sounded during sequential periods of time.

Schwab [111 3,851,458 1 Dec. 3, 1974 1 ELECTRICAL ALARM DEVICE FOR AN ALARM CLOCK [75] Inventor: Samuel Schwab, Delemont,

Switzerland [73] Assignee: Louis Schwab, S.A., Delemont,

Switzerland [22] Filed: Oct. 2, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 402,789

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 2, 1972 Switzerland 14381/72 [52] US. Cl 58/20, 58/19 A, 58/DIG. 1 [51] Int. Cl G04c 21/16 [58] Field of Search 58/16, 18,19 R, 19 A, 58/20, 21, 21.1, 38

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,836,957 12/1931 Carlson 58/19 R 2,779,150 l/l957 Chartier et al 3,166,887 l/l965 .laccard 58/20 X Primary Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert E. Burns; Emmanuel J. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams [5 7] ABSTRACT An alarm clock and alarm device electrically energized. The alarm is turned on by a driven hour gear that has a coupling projection that engages an alarm device gear that has a coupling recess for receiving the projection when the projection is in registry therewith at the time the alarm is to ring or buzz. The coupling takes place under control of a coupling element constructed as a resilient biasing element constantly biasing the driven gear toward the alarm gear and effecting the coupling when the registry obtains. This coupling element actuates a one-way clutch that is clutched and declutched as the gear coupling and uncoupling takes effect. The clutch couples a gear to a driven shaft, on which all the gears are mounted coaxially, for driving a gear sector that transports movable contacts programmed for opening and closing an electrical circuit during sequential spaced intervals of time so that an alarm in the circuit is sounded during sequential periods of time.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTLEEE 31914 3.851.458

sum 10; 3

ELECTRICAL ALARM DEVICE FOR AN ALARM CLOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As illustrated in the drawing an alarm device first This invention relates generally to alarm clocks and gear 1 is loosely mounted on a driven spindle 2 of an more particularly to a new and improved electrical alarm for alarm clocks.

Many alarm devices are known for electrical alarm systems and particularly for alarm clocks. These alarms are very complicated to construct. The electric alarm devices may be used in electric clocks or mechanical clocks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A'principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and compact alarm construction for an electrical alarm usable in a mechanical or electric alarm clock.

The alarm according to the invention is electrically energized by an electrical circuit. The circuit is provided with contacts programmed in conjunction with driven movable contacts for electrically energizing the alarm for sequential spaced intervals of time. The

A fixed elastic coupling element constructed as a fork biases the driven gear in a direction for coupling it to the alarm gear and effects the coupling when the aforementioned registry obtains. This coupling element has lugs that are coupled to a gear movable axially on the driven spindle and loosely mounted thereon..This latter gear has a clutch element and a second clutch element is fixed to the driven spindle. Clutching and declutching of these clutch elements into a one-way clutch corresponds with the coupling and uncoupling of the driven gear and the alarm device gear and the alarm device gear under control of the elastic coupling or biasing element.

The alarm device gear once coupled to the driven spindle by the one-way clutch drives a gear sector that transports the movable contacts that jointly therewith and the fixed contacts of the electrical circuit form programming means for energizing the alarm or sounding it for sequential, spaced intervals of time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 2 is afragmentary plan view of a part of the alarm in FIG. 1; and

I FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the programmed alarm in FIG. 2. t

alarm clock that drives a minute gear 3. The loosely mounted gear 1 is movable axially on the spindle 2 and has a clutch toothed element or gear 4 that is engageable with a clutch element or gear 5 fixed to the spindle shaft for forming a one-way clutch 4, 5. A driven hour gear 6 and a alarm device second gear 7 are mounted coaxially on the spindle 2. The hour gear is part of the gear train that drives the hour hand of the clock and is mounted for axial movement on the spingle. The alarm device second gear 7 is not driven by the spindle and is loose thereon for angular positioning thereof to set the time the alarm is to sound so that it is an alarm-time setting gear set manually by means not shown.

The hour gear 6 has a downwardly extending coupling projection 8 on a side or major surface thereof and this bears on a side or major surface of the alarm second gear 7 for coupling with a coupling recess 9 on this latter gear when angular registry obtains. The coupling recess 9 has a ramp for allowing uncoupling as later explained.

The coupling of the hour gear 6 and alarm second gear 7 and uncoupling thereof by the coupling elements clock and is provided with a U-shaped member having lugs 10a that engage an annular recess la in the hubfof the alarm device first gear 1.

The actuator constantly biases the hour gear 6 axially on the spindle in a direction shown by an arrow A for effecting the coupling. When the coupling projection 8 is in registry with the coupling recess 9 coupling takes place and the actuator lugs 10a will actuate the alarm device first gear 1 in a direction for clutching the oneway clutch 4, 5 so that first gear 1 is rotationally driven by the driven spindle 2. i

The first gear I is coupled to a gear sector 11 pivotally mounted, The gear sector has a segment or sector that is used for blocking movement thereof and a gear segment 11b having gears meshed with the first gear 1 and a third segment or sector 110 of reduced radius over which the alarm device gear 1 has no effect. The gear sector transports a flexible movable electrical contact 12 protected against vibration damage by a plastic guard piece 12a. The movable contact 12 is divided into two brush contacts l3, 14 having respective contacts 13a, 14a as shown that make electrical connection with angularly spaced, fixed or stationary contacts 15a, 15b, of an electrical flat or strip conductor 15, mounted on an insulator 15a, for opening and closing a circuit across a discontinuity or opening 16 in the conductor 15.

A two-arm lever 17 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 18 and has an arm 17a and another arm 17b engaged with a restoration spring 19. The gear sector 11 is pivotally mounted on a pivot held between plates20 and 21 as shown in FIG. 1. The two-arm lever is provided with an elongated slot 23 receiving a pin 22 that extends into the elongated slot 23 and is part of the gear sector 11 for actuating it.

shown so that uncoupling takes place at the proper position of the ramp. This moves the projection 9 to a position in which it bears on a major surface of the alarm device gear 7 and the actuator coupling lugs 10a are urged to declutch the alarm device first gear 1 from the spindle 1. The restoration spring 19 restores the sector gear 11 to its rest position shown in FIG. 2 in which the other movable contact 14a is in the opening 16 of the strip conductor so that the circuit is open; This position is a rest position S of the movable contacts.

When the first gear 1 is driven in a counterclockwise direction shown by an arrow C-the gear sector 11 is driven in a clockwise direction illustrated by an arrow D. The movable contacts move from their rest position through a space interval to a position T in which the one movable contact 13a is still in electrical contact and the other movable contact 14a makes electrical contact with the third stationary contact 15c. During a space interval T-U and a corresponding time interval the electrical circuit is closed and the electrical alarm 26 is energized. From the position U to the position V the circuit is open since the one movable contact 13a is clear of the first or second stationary contacts 15a, 15b. When the latter position V is reached this one movable contact closes the circuit since it makes electrical contact with the second stationary contact 15b. This electrical contact continues through the spatial interval V-W. At the latter point W the other movable contact 14a leaves the third stationary contact 150 so that the circuit is broken and the alarm 26 is turned off automatically. when a final position X is reached by the movable contacts the circuit is open. The toothless gear sector segment 110 of reduced radius confronts the alarm device gear 1 so the sector cannot be rotated anymore.

The space intervals designated above with letters correspond to time intervals. These intervals may be as follows:

TU 10 seconds of ringing or buzzing.

U-V 2 minutes of an off" condition.

V-W 25 seconds of ringing or buzzing.

Any suitable program may be selected and the gear sector and contacts accordingly arranged. The actual program is in the relative construction and arrange.- ments of the contacts.

The alarm can be turned off manually during its on condition by a manually actuated pushbutton, not shown, that applies a force to the lever 17 in the direction of an arrow B so that its pin 22 earns the gear sector 11 to a position in which its smooth profile segment 110 of a radius equal to the teeth jams up against the teeth of the alarm device first gear 1.

The hour gear continues to rotate in a coupled condition after the alarm is turned "off automatically and the resistance of the fixed element or dial it overlies forces the coupling element 8 of the hour wheel to move out of the coupling recess 9, which is ramped as smooth profile segment 11a thereof overrides a tooth and the alarm is temporarily locked in readiness for the' next ringing operation.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the coupling projection 8 can be made of a material to reducedrag and wear and that the driven gear 6 can be mounted on the driven spindle to be rotated from a gear train that drives it at the speed of an hour gear so long it is coaxial eith the driven spindle.

What I claim and desire to secure by letters Patent is:

1. In an alarm clock, an electrical circuit having an electrically energized alarm, a driven spindle, an alarm biasing the driven gear toward said alarm time-setting,

gear for coupling thereof when said preset time obtains and uncoupling thereof after the alarm has been energized, a one-way clutch having a clutch element fixed to said spindle and a second clutch element thereof on c said first gear for driving said first gear when said bias ing means couples said driven gear and said alarm timesetting gear, said biasing means having means for effecting clutching of said clutch and declutching thereof when said alarm time-setting gear and driven gear are coupled and uncoupled respectively, program means driven by said first gear when driven by said spindle controlling energizing of said circuit for sequential spaced intervals to energize said alarm during said intervals.

2. In an alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said driven gear comprises an hour gear.

3. In an alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said biasing means comprises a resilient element fixed stationary and bearing on said driven gear, said resilient element having said part for effecting clutching and declutching of said clutch coupled to said first gear.

4. In an alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said program means comprises a sector gear actuated by said alarm first gear, contacts transported by said sector gear for controlling energizing of said alarm.

5. In an alarm clock according to claim 4, in which said, program means includes means for manually actuating said sector angularly for turning off said alarm. 

1. In an alarm clock, an electrical circuit having an electrically energized alarm, a driven spindle, an alarm first gear rotatable on said spindle and movable axially thereon, an alarm time-setting gear for presetting the time said alarm is to be energized and having a coupling recess on a side surface thereof, a driven gear rotatable on said spindle and having a coupling projection on a side surface thereof for engaging in said coupling recess of said alarm time-setting gear and coupling it to said driven gear when said coupling projection and coupling recess are in registry, resilient biasing means resiliently biasing the driven gear toward said alarm time-setting gear for coupling thereof when said preset time obtains and uncoupling thereof after the alarm has been energized, a one-way clutch having a clutch element fixed to said spindle and a second clutch element thereof on said first gear for driving said first gear when said biasing means couples said driven gear and said alarm time-setting gear, said biasing means having means for effecting clutching of said clutch and declutching thereof when said alarm time-setting gear and driven gear are coupled and uncoupled respectively, program means driven by said first gear when driven by said spindle controlling energizing of said circuit for sequential spaced intervals to energize said alarm during said intervals.
 2. In an alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said driven gear comprises an hour gear.
 3. In an alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said biasing means comprises a resilient element fixed stationary and bearing on said driven gear, said resilient element having said part for effecting clutching and declutching of said clutch coupled to said first gear.
 4. In an alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said program means comprises a sector gear actuated by said alarm first gear, contacts transported by said sector gear for controlling energizing of said alarm.
 5. In an alarm clock according to claim 4, in which said, program means includes means for manually actuating said sector angularly for turning off said alarm. 